It's bitttersweet! Merriam Websters says it's being at once bitter and sweet.
That's a great way to define this week and the coming weeks of the softball season.
After a long, cold, wet season the end is drawing near. The WIAA Division 2, 3 and 4 regional quarter-final round is tomorrow statewide and it looks as though for the first time this season the entire state might have it's first three-day run of good fastpitch weather.
Very few if any #1 seeds are in action tomorrow and some of the #2 seeds are off as well. The rest of the field will be cut in half by this time tomorrow night and those losing teams will be turning in their uniforms and other school issued equipment. Many of the kids on those teams that lose will start focusing on their summer teams. The winners live to play yet another day, that being the day after Memorial Day (May 27th) followed up with a regional final on the 29th. Sectional are the following week on June 3 and June 5 and then there is a week off before the state tournament gets underway at Goodman Diamond.
The tourney series is what many teams gear up for the entire season so when it arrives it's the sweet part of the year but when a loss occurs then comes the bitter part. Having to say goodbye to seniors who have been part of a program the past four years and more. Perhaps saying goodbye to longtime head coaches or assistant coaches is another bitter part of hte equation.
There will also be non-conference games played around the state between the seeds that have quarter-final byes. As a fan it's many times tough to figure out just where those games are going to be played. You can check the wissports site but few coaches update their schedules there.
Have a great day and a better weekend.
Keep it Rising!
Bob
